Percy Jackson and the Sea Dragon
by Falia7
Summary: Percy is NOT happy. Kronos was defeated-he should be getting a break, not be getting yanked into other worlds on a madman's whim!
1. Prelude

_All right, unlike my other fic (HP/PJO crossover) this one actually has some planning behind it. Not to say the other won't be worked on, but this one is more likely to have semi-regular updates. With work being what it is, I only have about five or six hours a week to write, so don't expect more than monthly updates, though when inspiration's running high you might get more._

_**Prelude**_

His eyes were like the sea, she mused, an ever-changing blue-green. Sea-eyes and a vague sense that he was male were all she had been able to make out of him.

Solumbum, oddly, had seemed to know little more than Angela.

The werecat twitched his tail and looked the witch in the eye. _Eragon should know of this. He will change the fate of all._

_xxxx_

"I've told you all I know," Angela stated, genuine regret touching her voice.

"'Eyes like the sea and a changer of fate?'" Arya's tone said quite well just what she thought of the vague warning.

Eragon was less irritated. "Thank you for telling us, Angela."

_xxxx_

Worlds away, Percy Jackson had defeated Kronos mere weeks before, turning down godhood for the chance at a life with Annabeth.

He was taking a quiet moment for himself, looking over the lake at Camp. Eyes like the sea watched sunlight play on rippling water, their owner relaxing fully, secure in the knowledge that Camp was safe from all Monsters.

He frowned as something tugged at him, glancing around to make sure no one had snuck up, tensing slightly as he was assured that there was no-one nearby.

The returned, increased, became an all-consuming _pull._

All that was left was the echo of a yell over an empty shore.


	2. Chapter 1

_Minor edits. Nothing really story-altering, though._

_**Chapter 1**_

Poseidon was caught between rage and grief as he stormed into Olympus, seeking his brother—the King of the Gods. "Where is my son?"

Silence fell over the entire hall as gods and goddesses turned to look at the Sea God.

It was not Zeus who answered, but Hera—the Queen of the Gods with a look of genuine sorrow in her eyes. "His disappearance was not Zeus' doing. I was near when he was taken—I could not stop it without killing your son. All I could do was bless Percy before he was ripped away from this world. Wherever he was taken, he will bend to no unjust cause, nor will any take his thoughts from him."

Poseidon blinked, taken aback. Why was Hera so… upset for his sake, for that of his son? She was not known for her caring nature.

Zeus stepped forward, frowning. "My wife has taken a fondness to her nephew."

Explanation enough. Poseidon turned to glance around the assembled gods, "Hermes, could you take a message to my son?"

Hermes drew himself up, concentrating momentarily. "Yes, though it will not be easy. I can still reach him with a message for now—but once the trail left by whatever took him is gone, I will no longer be able to. I couldn't hope to bring him back with me."

Poseidon nodded once, "Please tell him that I _will_ get him back."

Athena stepped forward, face set in determination, "We will, Uncle. I will do everything I can to aid you, if only for my daughter's sake."

And Athena always, _always_ had a plan.

Poseidon nodded to his niece and rival. He would happily forgive her for the Athens incident for helping him to find his son.

_xxxx_

Percy landed in a crouch from a short drop, Riptide in hand and glaring down a man he somehow _knew_ was mad.

He straightened, power tingling through him. "Who are you, _mortal?_"

"My name is Galbatorax," the man answered, a kind smile on lips and voice.

But not eyes, Percy noted. "Why did you bring me here?"

Galbatorax nodded once towards Percy's feet, and the demigod glanced down to see a fist-sized blue-green… not stone. It was wobbling, cracks appearing along its surface. An egg?

In a burst of effort from within, the egg shattered and a tiny dragon tumbled out, its scales the same blue-green as a winter sea, glittering like sunlight on water.

It chirped, looking up at him, and Percy instinctively _knew_ what this man wanted. He reached down and scooped the dragon up in one hand, ignoring a tingle of not-quite-pain when his skin touched the hatchling, shifted his hold on Riptide, and focused on something he wasn't sure _how_ but that he understood.

Space and time rippled around him.

_Safety_, he told them—and was gone.

A howl of rage echoed in his wake.

_xxxx_

_Hunger_ echoed in his mind from the little dragon in his arms, and Percy knew he had to hunt. Which was just as well, because he was on a mountainside, and he could hear small animals and birds in every direction.

He sighed, flipped out his bracelet-charm-turn-knife-brace and pulled out one of five throwing knives of the same blue-green metal as his father's trident, made by Hephaestus himself on Poseidon's request. Percy might have been pathetic with a bow, but he was actually remarkably skilled with the knives. The best thing about the knives was that they would always return to the brace, clean and as sharp as the day they'd been tempered.

The rabbit fell silently, never knowing what had hit it, and Percy pulled out his belt-knife (ordinary steel, for once) and skinned it clumsily. He'd never had to do that before.

The dragon got the idea as soon as he fed it the first strip of meat and tore voraciously into the rest of the carcass, not seeming to mind when he absently started stroking sleek scale. In fact, as soon as its hunger had been sated, the little creature crawled into his lap, begging for the petting to continue.

Percy smiled down at the dragon, rubbing its tiny head. He knew from the ability to feel it within his mind that this dragon was bound to him, now. That it was likely to be his greatest weakness.

He couldn't bring himself to care about that. The dragon was going to be a great part of his life, and he couldn't—_wouldn't—_let anything happen to the sea-scaled creature.

… The dragon would need a name. He thought for a few moments, then settled on Tide with the little dragon's silent approval.

Percy huffed, scooping the dragon up, and started making his way down the mountainside towards the lake below. A waterfall crashed down on one side of the otherwise still lake, a river winding away on the far side.

The mountainside was steep, but not beyond Percy, even carrying a dragon—though that might have been different if his weapons and armor hadn't all been god-forged and collapsible. Though the armor was something he didn't need, not really. The Curse of Achilles had made sure of that.

… and something told Percy he was beyond even that, now.

Tide stirred in Percy's arms as the ground leveled out, a thin tendril of questioning thought touching the son of Poseidon's mind. The thought-touch was male, definitely, which gave Percy something to refer to the young dragon as aside from 'it'.

Tide settled as Percy returned the thought with calm assurance. They were safe, for now.

The young dragon blinked at sparkling water, _Let me down?_ he asked, _I want to swim._

Odd, how easy it was to understand the thoughts of a dragon less than an hour old.

_I remember things that others learned, before._

Huh—genetic memory? Percy shrugged off the thought, bending to set the small dragon on the ground, smiling slightly as tiny wings unfurled to propel an equally tiny body forward.

Tide snapped at a ripple splashing onto the gravelly sand, then dove into the water cheerfully, only slightly clumsy.

Percy followed the dragon into cool water, keeping an eye on his fragile companion, in case Tide were to falter in his energetic swimming.

Then he paused, frowning. Something was different.

Oh, the water still welcomed him and he could understand the curious fish gathering around just fine. When he tested it, he found the water still heeded his commands. Yet still, something was different.

Distracted by his thoughts, he didn't see Tide drawing too close to the waterfall until the young dragon was snatched underwater by bubbling currents.

The water parted around the dragon with a single thought from the worried Son of Poseidon, then Percy was gathering the small body in his arms, leaping out of the water into what appeared to be a cave on the back-side of the waterfall.

Water sloshed from the dragon's scales, (Percy dry, as usual) save that which Percy called on to heal strained muscles and bruises left by the power of the water's weight. "Tide! You can't _do _things like that! I don't care what kind of genetic memory you have—you're still _tiny!_ You can't take on waterfalls at two hours old!"

The dragon hung his little head, ashamed. _Sorry, Percy._

Percy relented. "I know. Just… be careful, all right? I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."

And he still wasn't certain what that meant. He'd met the dragon less than three hours before, and already Tide held a place in his heart.


	3. Chapter 2

_Hey, next chapter. Neither of my stories has been abandoned, forgotten, or otherwise ended. Please be patient with me, I don't have a lot of time to write. I will _try_ to get something up at least once a month from now on, but I cannot promise._

_**Chapter 2**_

Percy and Tide quickly found out that the cave wasn't a _cave_ so much as a tunnel. They also discovered that those living inside the mountain weren't too fond of strangers dropping in unannounced.

An arrow hissed through the air and Percy didn't hesitate, spinning to place his own body between Tide and the oncoming threat. He felt it dig into his shoulder—a pressure that wasn't painful, for all it was _strange_—and dropped to one knee, placing the hatchling on the ground. _Stay behind me,_ he thought firmly.

Tide didn't protest and Percy stood smoothly, ignoring the arrow imbedded bloodlessly in his shoulder, glaring harshly at the small group before him.

The one holding the bow _(Fardin)_ was being admonished for his hasty shot by a second _(Dane)_ and the third _(Gavin)_ had started in Percy's direction before coming to an abrupt halt Percy faced them. Their names hung in the air around them, invisible but somehow _there_ as he glanced at each. The names were unimportant, and Percy put them out of his mind.

No harm had been intended by the one moving forward, Percy could see that, but the wariness that had entered eyes and stance had Percy a little on guard. He knew he himself was in no danger, but Tide…

There was rage, too, rising in him with all the unrelenting force of a tsunami. But Percy could quell a tsunami, and he was fairly sure that the danger the bowman'sshot had presented to Tide had been _almost_ unintentional. The shot had seemed like startled reflex, not true harmful intent.

"Are you all right?" The tone was cautious, the man closest to Percy's gaze somewhere between concerned and wary.

Percy reached back, pulling the arrow free from unmarked flesh, then tossed the weapon to the ground between them. "I am unharmed. Should you place Tide in danger again, however, I will not be forgiving."

"Eyes like the sea," the bowman murmured, too low for any human to hear at that distance.

Percy wasn't your standard human, though, and he heard just fine. Still there were other things to worry about as the three men—scouts, perhaps?—before him seemed to realize the significance of where the arrow on the ground had come from.

Wariness became fear and weapons came to hand, "What are you?"

Tide peeked around Percy's leg, inadvertently drawing attention to himself before Percy's sharp voice brought all attention back to him. "That is none of your concern, _mortal,_" Percy wasn't sure where this derisive anger was coming from, but he didn't care to check it. "Lower your weapons."

Scouts stepped back, weapons grasped in trembling hands, and Percy's anger grew. "I _said_ 'lower your weapons'," he hissed, reaching out with that _twist_ of will that had whisked himself and his dragon to the safety of the mountains.

Weapons were gone from the mens' hands, clattering to the ground behind Percy and Tide.

"You will take me to your leaders," Percy commanded, cold as hurricane winds on a storm-swept sea.

In no position to protest, the men did so anyway.

A little of Percy's anger retreated at the display of loyalty, "You have my word that if they do not try to harm me, no harm will come to them through me."

The apparent leader of the three bit his lip, but nodded once. "May we collect our weapons?"

Percy examined them for several moments, "Yes. Do not come near Tide."

"Tide?" the youngest queried, unable to suppress his curiosity at the second mention of the name.

Percy knelt, Tide scrambling out from behind his legs to jump into waiting arms. "Tide," Percy stated, by way of introduction.

Shock radiated from all three, and for several moments, they seemed unable to move.

"A dragon hatchling," the leader breathed, awed.

Percy's eyes darkened, storm-at-sea, then lightened again as he recognized the fact that the men were actually growing less hostile at the sight of the hatchling.

Confused, awed, and a little more _wary,_ but less _hostile._

Percy considered briefly, then decided to do something a little… unorthodox in the halfway to hostage situation. "One of you go ahead to your leaders. Give them warning of my approach. Tell them I _will_ defend myself if attacked, and if they offer harm to Tide, _nothing_ will stay my wrath."

The leader blinked in obvious shock, and nor was he the only one, but he turned to the youngest. "Dane, you are the fastest among us. Run ahead and do as he commands."

The boy nodded, tearing his gaze from the tiny form in Percy's arms. "Yes, sir."

_xxxx_

Eragon was in the training grounds when one of the scouts that had left not two hours before returned from the tunnel to the waterfall at a even run, breathing hard and short brown hair plastered to his forehead with sweat.

The young Rider went from practicing with Arya to exchanging glances with the Elf and running to meet the exhausted scout. Eragon had met this one once before…

"Dane, what happened? Where are the others?"

The boy bent nearly double, hands on his knees as he strained to catch his breath, eyes flashing with wary excitement. "There was a… a young man in the tunnel. Eyes like the sea, he has. Always changing. And… a dragon hatchling! They sent me ahead to warn you…"

Eragon was immediately caught between hopeful interest—if interest could be a strong enough word—and wariness. "Warn?"

"Yeah," Dane breathed out, straightening, "Argetlam, he… Fardin shot him, before we realized… he turned to protect the hatchling. The arrow struck his shoulder and he knelt… then stood again, in no pain that we could see. He pulled the arrow out and there was no blood. He was angry. He… made our weapons vanish, only to reappear behind him. He is _powerful._"

"Powerful indeed," Arya murmured, actually sounding worried. "He is being brought here?"

"He… yes, my lady," Dane hesitated, "But… I don't think he means us harm. He could have killed all three of us, but he _didn't_, even though we had attacked him."

"It could be a ploy by Galbatorax," Arya pointed out darkly.

Eragon nodded slowly, "Perhaps. But if he has a hatchling with him…"

Arya relented, "We must take that risk."

_xxxx_


	4. Chapter 3

_I have begun posting story progress on my profile, in case anyone is interested in keeping tabs on my work before it's actually updated. I have not given up on any of them, by the way. I've just been having a heck of a time finding time to write lately. School has picked up in the homework department, and what with that and everything _else_ that's been going on... Well. I will keep on when I can._

_Oh, and minor editing to chapter 1._

_**Chapter 3**_

Hermes entered the dimension that Percy had been drawn to, immediately locating and going to the one he had a message for. And froze.

Percy was with others, in a tunnel with a—was that a dragon hatchling? At any rate, one god could always tell another, even if they were not of the same pantheon, and Hermes' shock was great enough that he momentarily forgot why he'd come.

Sea-eyes turned towards him at the same time that weapons came into the hands of the two Percy was with.

"Lord Hermes," Percy greeted, calm and polite, but not deferential.

As was his right, Hermes thought to himself. Poor Percy. He'd never _wanted_ godhood, turning it down when it was offered. "Percy, you're a… _what happened?_" in his confusion, Hermes slipped into Greek.

With a sigh, sea-eyes closed for a moment. "I was afraid of that. And… I don't know. I was pulled here, and everything just… _changed._"

Hermes straightened, setting those thoughts aside. "I have a message from your father, as I was the only one able to follow you here, and that only the once. He says that he _will_ get you back. Athena has offered her aid, and Hera blessed you before you were drawn away. You have friends, Percy, and they will see you safely home."

Percy's lips twitched into a genuinely grateful smile, for all the wryness touching it. "I don't think I'll be needing help getting home," he admitted. "But I feel there is something I must see to here, first."

Hermes dipped his head, "Very well, Percy. I will let them know. Be careful—if you do _not_ return, I have no doubt your father will find a way to come here himself."

Percy smiled again, amusement warring with affection, "Thank them for me, will you? Dad especially."

"I will," Hermes agreed, "But I must go. The way back is closing already."

Without thinking, Percy snapped his fingers, frowning at the fabric of space-time around them, seeking the hole that Hermes had needed to follow. And—there. It stabilized under a silent order, no longer shrinking.

Hermes, already flashing out, didn't have time to realize what had happened until he was already gone.

Back on Olympus, he stared at nothing in absolute amazement as the realization crashed down.

_xxxx_

Less than an hour later, Percy was escorted into an open cave—if 'cave' could really describe the titanic, well-lit cavern he'd been led to—where four beings were waiting to meet him. One was the scout, Dane, that had been sent ahead.

The other three… well, the most striking of them was a blue dragon, elegant in her beauty and predatory grace. Saphira, he sensed, glancing at her. Another, her human, Eragon. Other names hovered around that one, unseen but there, titles given for one reason or another.

The third was not human. An elf, though he had never heard of them outside Earth's fiction, Arya. The most obviously suspicious of the three.

Percy shifted, moving to cradle Tide in one arm while freeing his sword-arm, though he doubted it would be needed. He waited.

Arya spoke first, eyes narrowed and voice neutral with an effort. "Who are you?"

Percy examined her for a moment, quashing an instinctive sense of hostility at the rudeness. "Where I am from, it is considered rude to ask a name before giving your own_._" Okay, so not _completely_ quashing.

Saphira snorted softly, clearly amused, and her rider stepped forward to take relative control of the situation. "My name is Eragon, stranger. This is my dragon, Saphira, and Arya—an emissary of the Elves. What is your name?"

"Percy," Percy replied, calm and authoritive in a way he hadn't felt the need to be since the Titan War had truly ended. "The little one is Tide."

"_What_ are you?" Arya asked suspiciously, eyes narrowed.

Percy favored her with a raised eyebrow, "I am a Son of Poseidon," he settled on eventually.

"You speak that name as though we should know it," Eragon observed. "Who is he?"

"Stormbringer, Earthshaker, Father of Horses, God of the Sea."

"You claim to be a _god?_" Arya asked derisively. "Gods do not exist."

"I claim to be nothing but a Son of Poseidon," Percy stated, voice chilling and eyes darkening to sea-at-storm. A faint thrum filled the air around them before quieting, "and though my father is in a different world, he _does_ exist, and I will not hear you speak against him."

Tide bared his teeth at the presumptuous Elf, sensing his bonded's quiet fury.

Arya opened her mouth again, but Eragon quickly placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head when she looked at him.

_Wise_, Percy noted.

The young Rider returned his attention to Percy, "I know you are powerful, and I realize you have a young dragon with you, but we cannot let you remain here without first seeing your mind—nor can we let you leave."

Percy eyed Eragon for several moments, knowing full well his mind would now drive any mortal to peer within it mad. The things he understood, could _change—_it was beyond mortal comprehension. "Why?"

"We have to be sure you have not come from Galbatorax."

Percy snorted, "I hold no loyalty to the man who summoned me. I came here from his presence, but he holds no power over me. He is mad, filled with hate for all who are free."

"Then you will allow us to examine your mind?"

"No," Percy stated, impassive as a clear sea, "You would be driven to insanity, to see into the mind of one of my kind."

"Are you Elf-kin, then?" Dane asked, speaking up without thinking before flushing as surprised attention turned to him from both Elf and Rider. "Sorry."

"If you are one of the half-Elves, I could safely see your thoughts," Arya stated, seeming less suspicious, but still notably wary.

Percy shook his head, "Though yours is a long-lived race," and he wasn't even going to wonder how he knew that, "You are still of limited perception. Tide is protected through my bond to him, but Saphira would be badly strained to examine my thoughts, even though dragon-kin have broader minds. Perhaps Tide would be willing to allow Saphira to see into his, but I will not demand it of him."

Tide looked up at Percy,_ It would make this easier, wouldn't it? And she won't hurt me._

Percy inclined his head, calm—as he could not recall having been as an ADHD demigod—and perfectly in control. Nothing here could threaten him, and he would allow no harm to come to Tide.

If needed, he could force the older dragon from Tide's mind.

"Tide agrees that Saphira may see into his mind," Percy turned his attention to the sapphire dragon, "Be gentle. He is only a few hours old."

Moments later, Tide was shifting and wrinkling his nose, bringing a forepaw up to rub at his head. _That tickles._

Percy chuckled, eyes softening. He could sense Saphira's apologetic response and that the older dragon meant no harm.

Suddenly she reared back, eyes wide, awareness pulled away from the hatchling's mind—not causing pain, but certainly abruptly enough to be surprising. She had seen the truth of Percy's words—and what he had omitted.

"Saphira?" Eragon asked, voice sharp with alarm.

The dragon shook herself, crouching lower to the ground, trying to make herself look small and unthreatening, wary eyes on the entity before her.

"You need not fear me, Saphira," Percy stated, "You and your bonded have done nothing to incur my wrath."

_He spoke the truth,_ Saphira said finally, for all within range to hear. _He is the son of a god…_ she hesitated, glancing to the young being before her for permission before finishing. … _and a god himself._

_xxxx_


End file.
